Mortgage Daily, Mar. 26, 2018Retaining its standing as America’s biggest mortgage lender, including retail and correspondent lending, was Wells Fargo–though Quicken Loans claimed the No. 1 retail lender spot.
Category: Top National News

New Home Inventory Largest in 9 Years
Mortgage Daily, Mar. 23, 2018As of Feb. 28, there were a seasonally adjusted 305,000 new U.S. homes for sale–the most since March 2009.

It’s Time for Companies to Ditch Big Corporate Campuses
Venture Beat, Mar. 24, 2018–Stephane KasrielThere’s an unspoken rule virtually every startup in the last two decades seems to have followed: If you start hiring more people, lease or build bigger offices. It’s time to discard this increasingly out-of-date workplace model and find new ways of building teams empowered by new technology.

Mortgage Rates Continue their Upward Trajectory
Washington Post, Mar. 22, 2018–Kathy OrtonAccording to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate average inched up to 4.45 percent with an average 0.5 point. It was 4.44 percent a week ago and 4.23 percent a year ago. (MBA mention)

Few Retired People Expect to Pay Off their Mortgages, Survey Finds
Washington Post, Mar. 22, 2018–Michele LernerA recent “Retirement and Mortgages” survey by American Financing, a national mortgage banker, found 44 percent of Americans age 60 to 70 have a mortgage when they retire, with as many as 17 percent saying they may never pay it off.

Biggest Three Banks Gobble Up $2.4 Trillion in New Deposits Since Crisis
Wall Street Journal, Mar. 22, 2018–Rachel Ensign (subscription)Now that many transactions are done online or through smartphones, cstomers are increasingly choosing national banks.

Dear Lenders: Social Media is All or Nothing
HousingWire, Mar. 22, 2018–Jason FrazierInvesting in a social media strategy is an all or nothing play if you are in real estate or lending. It is especially important if you are in this business for legacy because brand building takes time.

Low Taxes, Weather Make Florida Cities Fastest-Growing in U.S.
Bloomberg, Mar. 22, 2018–Brandon KochkodinSun, low taxes–and proximity to Legoland–helped propel Florida cities to the top of the fastest-growing U.S. metro-areas list, the Census Bureau said.

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Up Slightly; Leading Indicator Rises
Reuters, Mar. 22, 2018–Lucia MutikaniThough sluggish consumer spending could hold back economic growth in the first quarter the outlook is bright. In another report, the Conference Board said its Leading Economic Index increased 0.6 percent in February after advancing 0.8 percent in January.

Millennials Use Mortgage Tech the Most, But Find Human Interaction Lacking
Mortgage Profesional America, Mar. 22, 2018–Francis MonfortAlthough millennials are the most likely age group to use technology when applying for mortgages, they are also the generation most likely to seek more interaction with their lenders, according to the 2018 Borrower Insights Survey released by Ellie Mae.